


Of Missing Dogs and Full Circles

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [75]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 08:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5409446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice





	Of Missing Dogs and Full Circles

Evelyn was on a mission. Bella the dog had gone missing at the Winter Palace earlier that afternoon, and Evelyn was determined to find her. She had the entirety of her inner circle as well as a good number of the Inquisition’s soldiers on the lookout for the scraggly dog that she had adopted a few years earlier. Armed with expensive Orleasian dog treats, Evelyn and Cullen were scouring the palace grounds together calling out to their “dog child” when Evelyn spotted her. “She’s being attacked!” Evelyn shouted to Cullen as she fade stepped over to Bella.

When she reached Bella, Evelyn realized that she wasn’t being attacked but _romanced_ by a mabari that was every bit as unattractive as Bella. “Oh no you don’t, this family has already had its share of unintended pregnancies,” Evelyn scolded as she prepared an ice spell to break up the dogs’ coupling. Cullen jogged over as Evelyn was about to cast and stopped her.

“Let them have their fun,” he chuckled. “At least Bella is getting lucky.”

Evelyn huffed and rolled her eyes at Cullen. Since they had decided to resume a physical relationship, a comedy of errors had kept them apart - first a snowstorm, then babysitting Graham, and now nosy Orleasian hosts that barely allowed them a moment’s peace much less time alone together. Evelyn was getting so desperate that she was considering calling on her experience with covert trysts in the Circle and simply luring Cullen into a dark corner of the castle for a fast tumble between council sessions, but she was enough of a romantic that she wanted their first time together in over a year to be more special than a quick rut behind some bookshelves.

“Tonight,” she said emphatically as she walked away from Bella and her paramour. Evelyn didn’t care what receptions or banquets her hosts had planned. She and Cullen had a date to _take care of business_ that night. The Orleasian fops and Fereldan nobles could just wait for them for a change.

“How about a little preview?” Cullen suggested as he gestured toward a small seemingly unoccupied outbuilding that was nearby. He didn’t need to ask twice as Evelyn practically dragged him inside. They were so busy with passionate kisses and roaming hands that they didn’t notice the bloodstains on the floor or the lifeless body of a Qunari soldier lying against a wall until Evelyn tripped over it as Cullen walked her backwards across the room.

“Oh for fuck’s sake...” Evelyn screeched as she took in the scene. “This is getting ridiculous.”

“Nothing like finding a corpse to put a damper on things,” Cullen said wryly.

“What’s a Qunari doing here?” Evelyn wondered aloud.

“Not much any more from the looks of him,” Cullen joked, and Evelyn growled at his bad jest.

“Looks like we’ve got another mystery to solve in the Winter Palace. Can’t these Orleasians do anything for themselves?” Evelyn remarked as she stooped down to examine the body. “Go get Bull. He may catch something I’ve missed. You’d better let Leliana know as well. It’s her council after all.”

Cullen nodded and jogged away. _The best laid plans..._

True to her past as a spymaster, Leliana wanted to keep things quiet until they had a better handle on why exactly a Qunari soldier was at the meeting and who had killed him. Together with Bull, Evelyn tracked the bloodstains left by the soldier as he had moved through the castle before expiring. When she found where the stains began, Evelyn let out a deep sigh and cursed, “Well... shit.” The soldier had gotten into the palace through an eluvian. He could have come from literally anywhere.

*******************

Cullen watched Evelyn as she suited up to go through the eluvian. His stomach was in knots as he checked her armor. “I know it’s done little good in the past, but I feel like I have to say it ... be careful,” he whispered.

“I will. I promise,” Evelyn replied as she turned and gave him a soft kiss.

“Do you still have the coin?” Cullen asked about the good luck charm he had given her when they were first dating.

“I never stopped carrying it,” Evelyn admitted.

Cullen smiled and stared at the floor as if lost in thought for a few moments before making eye contact with Evelyn. “Marry me,” he said sweetly, plaintively.

“What?” Evelyn questioned. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly - was he really proposing?

Cullen grabbed the back of his neck and stammered, “I mean.. will you... gah! I had a plan... and there wasn’t..." After taking a deep breath and settling himself down, Cullen continued, "It doesn’t matter. I’ve thought of little else since you came back into my life, and I don’t need a plan - only to know if you would.”

“I would. Cullen, I will,” Evelyn breathed.

“You will,” he repeated as he put his hand to her cheek. “I still have the ring,” he said as he rummaged in the breast pocket of his coat. “If you’d take it, that is.”

Evelyn nodded her head vigorously as her vision blurred with happy tears. Cullen slipped the ring on her finger and then pulled her close. “I love you, Ev. Now and forever whatever may come.”

“Whatever may come,” Evelyn echoed.

Their tender moment was interrupted by Iron Bull banging on Evelyn’s door. “Come on, Boss. Time’s wasting. You can put the moves on Cullen when we get back.”

Evelyn snorted and shook her head. “Rain check?”

“What’s a few more days?” Cullen laughed before kissing her forehead and handing her staff to her. “I’ll have a surprise waiting for you when you get back.”

“A surprise?” Evelyn quizzed before breaking into an electric smile. “I’ll look forward to that.”


End file.
